Amid Ruins
by TygrisNox
Summary: When Anna's rescued by a beautiful blonde, can she handle the secrets the woman hides? [Elsanna/No Incest/Post Apocalyptic/Vampire][Gift for MatJojo]


One of these days, Anna would learn to listen to people when they said that it was a bad idea to do X, Y or Z. That was if she had another day to look forward to. Sneaking around the raiders' encampment had been going very well, until she slipped on some loose rocks and set off a tripwire. She'd never realized how much racket a string of rusty old cans could make. After a merry old chase, which ended when Anna slipped face first into the mud, she was being dragged back to the encampment, kicking and yelling a rather impressive slew of profanity.

"Let me go, you bug-fucking, assholes," she growled, trying to find some leverage to get free. Even if she got free, she wasn't sure how she'd _escape_ but she'd be free.

And probably dead.

Was it better to be free and dead or dead and eaten – at least she hoped she was dead before that happened – or sold? She'd really prefer dead to sold.

So Anna struggled more, refusing to give up as she was dragged toward a cage, which still didn't give her any clue what was going to happen. Finally she was bodily tossed into the cage, quite literally as her head collided with an iron bar and she collapsed inside, her head woozy.

It took several minutes before she realized the sounds of the encampment had changed. Anna pushed herself up, unsteady on her feet, and blinked as she tried to make her eyes focus on what she thought she was seeing.

Someone was tearing up the camp.

She tried to move, to get herself time to escape but instead she found herself slumping to the ground, the idea of moving making her stomach churn. She closed her eyes and let her aching head slump forward.

She wasn't sure but someone said something to her. A feminine voice. Anna didn't remember there being women capturing her. The feel of cold hands along her jaw had her open her eyes, a groan escaping her as she did so. The beautiful face before her said something, blue eyes seeming to glow unnaturally in the fire light. She couldn't focus on the words being said to her, her head swimming before slumping forward.

"Don't eat me, please," she mumbled before passing out.

Dead of night was Elsa's time. She'd hunt, scavenge, then make it back home before dawn, and rinse and repeat. It was isolated and lonely, but she was still alive. From her perch, she stared down at the raider camp below. They were too close to her haven and she'd have to do something about it. For now she could afford patience.

She'd stood up to go when she heard the rattling of cans, one of the primitive forms of security in this dead age. She crouched back down, knowing that it wouldn't do to be caught, to have someone spot her before she was ready. Her eyes, with their excellent night vision had led her to watch the chase and admire the gumption the girl showed, and she slowly moved closer staying above the fracas.

Then when the girl fighting was caught, Elsa moved through the wreckage of the building she'd leapt to without thinking about it. She caught better sight of the fiery young woman as she was thrown in that cage, her head colliding with a bar, and knocking her unconscious. Elsa leapt down, landing on the back of an unsuspecting raider. After all who would expect to see a woman leap down thirty feet? Elsa moved quickly, a blade in her hand, getting to raiders before they could get the basic guns drawn to fire on her. Not that it would matter.

When the last one laid dead in a bloody heap, Elsa took a moment to run her tongue along the blade, letting the blood sate the bloodlust roiling in her veins. She looked at the cage, and saw the woman slumped on the ground. The human had obviously tried to make good use of Elsa's attack and run but hadn't made it far.

Elsa walked over and crouched down. "Young lady, are you okay?" she said, her voice gentle, not wanting to be too loud if she was concussed. "It's safe now. I won't hurt you."

She reached out and touched the young face and studied it as those out of focus eyes opened and blinked. When she made her request, the pitiful voice squeaking out "Don't eat me," Elsa couldn't help but chuckle, which turned to concern when the girl passed back out.

Elsa could hear the heart beating strong and she sighed, scooping the woman up in her arms. The vampire had no clue why this was something she was doing. Humans were _always_ trouble. One would have assumed she'd learned that over the years she'd lived this cursed existence, but something about this girl meant she wasn't going to leave her here where someone might take advantage of her.

Anna woke to darkness and was certain she was opening her eyes. She sat up in a panic and looked around, vaguely remembering the raiders from the night before...and startling blue eyes.

"Calm yourself, child," came a cultured voice, one that seemed familiar. "It's dark because light could exacerbate the headache you are probably feeling from banging your head against an iron rod."

Anna blinked a few times, finding the voice...different. It spoke differently than she expected. Or anyone she knew. Even the Westergaards, the 'bastions of civilization', didn't speak so finely.

"Please may I have some light?" she asked. "Just a little bit. I...I'm not comfortable in this much darkness," she admitted, moving further back until she felt a wall to her back, which then led Anna to bring her knees to her chest and wrap her arms around them.

"Alright. Close your eyes for me," the voice said finally, with the sound of a match being lit and there was a lantern lit and carried over toward the bed and set it on a night stand, the shield set to angle the light so it wouldn't be in Anna's eyes. "Should be good now," the woman said, stepping back to the edge of the light.

Anna opened her eyes, and did blink as her eyes adjusted. Her eyes swept over to the lantern, seeing it was one of those that could be adjusted to let more light out and it had been set for the most minimum.

"Thank you. I...I know that rescuing slow and dumb scavs isn't exactly...well, I should be...dead or worse."

There was a very low, throaty chuckle that caused a tingling in Anna that she'd never felt to someone _chuckling_. It was...odd. She took a deep breath. "What's so funny?"

"That you think that there's a fate worse than death, young one," came the unexpected reply from where she stood. "What's your name?"

Anna found it odd that her benefactor didn't want to step into the light, or come closer to her. She looked at where the voice came from. "I'll tell you my name, if you tell me yours and you step closer."

In the dim light, Anna could tell that the woman, who'd rescued her, tilted her head at the offer of an exchange before stepping forward and grabbing a chair and dragging it with her as she stepped into the light. It caught her ice blue eyes and gave them a predator-y gleam, akin to that of a long gone large cat. She smiled though. "I'm Elsa," she said as she sat down, the back facing the girl as her arms came up and rested on the edge.

Anna was surprised that her gamble had paid off. She stared at the blonde, and then there was that predatory gleam she'd seen before on creatures that tended to eat people, and it made the red-head swallow nervously. Yet, a deal was a deal and she was certain that Elsa would not be amused if she hedged on her side of the bet.

"I'm Anna," she said finally. "Um, thank you. I'm certain that you saved my life," she added, vaguely remembering the image of fighting flashing through her mind.

Elsa nodded her head. "You gave a loud and fervent struggle, Anna," she told the young human. "It would be a shame to let you die, or as you said, worse."

Anna watched as Elsa then stood up and moved closer to her. Her eyes seemed focused on where Anna had hit her head. The woman tilted her head, watching her intently as she did so. "Is there anyone who'd be worried if you didn't get home?"

Anna blinked but then held still, the woman's hands felt cold on her face as her head was checked over, then she found herself staring into those eyes and found it hard to think. It was like she lost all ability to form a coherent thought. When the woman backed off and looked away, Anna took a deep breath, and then stared down at her hands.

"Um, not for...well if not a lot of time as passed, then no...not for a few days. My friend, Kristoff, he's out doing runs for the Westergaards."

She didn't see the way those eyes darkened at the mention of the Westergaards, nor the way a lip curled up into a sneer before the placid friendly look that had been on Elsa's face was back when the younger woman looked over at the older.

The blonde cleared her throat and nodded her head. "So, tomorrow, I'll help you get back home," she said. "If you don't show signs of worse head trauma." She moved the chair back to sit beside the nightstand. "Rest now. I'll watch over you, but even if I wasn't, you'd be safe here."

Anna nodded, snuggling into the blankets, getting the feeling that the rest wasn't anything other than a command to be followed, without negotiation.

Elsa stood before the door leading to the outside world. She really didn't want to go out there right now, every instinct was telling her this was not the right thing to do. Yet a glance over her shoulder to the redhead, dressed in cleaned and repaired clothes, reminded her why she was doing this. 

Pulling her hood up, covering her hair and eyes, she pushed open the door, leaning her shoulder into the heavy wood. "Come on, Anna, let's get you home," she said, stepping out into the grey world.

Anna looked up from the very neatly stitched patch she'd noticed on the sleeve of her jacket, then quickly followed her. "Thank you, I...you don't have to," she said, pulling her own hood up as she stepped outside, then stopped, her jaw dropping. "Whoa." 

The lands of Arendelle had been ravaged by... whatever had happened what felt like ages ago. The land was broken, large formations jutting out of the cracked ground. The ruins of the old castle spires still stood over the land, even as parts of it were flooded from the breaches in the wall. Most people lived in small groups, fending off raiders, wild animals, and just in general trying to survive.

Yet, from what Anna could tell, she was in the castle...that should have been impossible from what all the tales told them. "I...okay, I know this is...rude, but..."

Elsa could tell that the young woman had questions and shrugged a shoulder, walking through the halls as if she had nothing to fear, which, in reality, she didn't. "You want to know how I managed to claim a castle?" she guessed. "Long story."

Anna was quiet as if she was considering Elsa's words. "We have time..."

Elsa chuckled at the very accurate point. "Perhaps, but..." She took a deep breath. "I keep people out of here. Spread rumors and cause enough mayhem and people leave me alone. I like it."

"So are you the reason there are stories that it's haunted?" Anna asked, seeming to want to get answers from Elsa.

"I doubt I'm the reason," she hedged with a smile. "I haven't been alive *that* long after all," Elsa argued, looking over at the woman. "I just have taken advantage of it, and well, it is a safe place for a lone woman to live." She leapt down through a crack in the wall, landing lightly on her feet. She waited while Anna scrambled down and then held out her hand helping her move when her balance didn't seem so certain.

Elsa, for her part as they moved, focused her attention between her charge and making sure there was no trouble up ahead. Her eyes flicked up at the sky, wincing just slightly, then she continued to walk along the path that had formed over time. She touched her belt and the blade she carried there. Out here in the wastes of Arendelle, it wouldn't do to be distracted and the redhead was one. She took a deep breath and just walked, keeping a quick pace. She wanted to make sure she was home soon enough.

Elsa normally was more alert. Then again, she also wasn't traveling during the day, or she'd have heard the voices, the growls of some scavengers and their pets. So when the attack came, she was caught off guard and had to react a half a step behind, resulting in herself being hit from behind by one of the feral dogs, her back getting clawed up. She went down, then spun on to her back, her hands gripping the slavering jaws and pulling, using her strength until she heard a crack and then she shoved the body to the side.

She closed her eyes then pushed herself to her feet, her back screaming at her as she moved. The daylight made her weaker, though still stronger than mere half-starved humans. She took a deep breath and pulled her blade from its scabbard and moved to the next dog, a well-aimed blow, hitting the spine and killing it. She wouldn't let the wild creature suffer. She glanced around and found Anna, scrambling for the rocks, and she moved to keep herself between the redhead and the animals. She blocked a blow to her head, feeling the rush as she fell into a pattern of fighting. A small part of her knew she could end this _very _quickly if she wanted to. That she could just tear them apart, limb from limb, yet she worked to keep that part of herself in check, though it was made harder when one of the scavs got lucky and sliced their knife along her arm.

It was time to end this fight. Elsa moved quickly, spinning the hilt around and slamming the blade up through the soft underside of the man's jaw, before moving and grabbing the remaining man's arm and spun him around, giving into the urge-the blood lust-sinking her teeth into his artery, until a stammered, startled voice broke in and Elsa quickly ended the man's life, pausing to wipe her mouth before turning to look at Anna who'd obviously moved closer once the fighting had died down.

"E-elsa? What...the hell...are you?" Anna asked, holding the knife she had given her, though it did shake a little in her hands. When Elsa took a step closer, the grip tightened around the hilt and she held it up steadily. "What type of freak are you?"

Elsa let the mask she'd worked a long time to perfect slip into place, hiding the hurt that being called a freak had caused. It wasn't like this was something she'd chosen for herself after all. She wiped the blade clean and slipped it into the scabbard.

"Anna," she said, her voice calm, though she was aware there was a predatory gleam to her eyes. The blonde took a step forward. "I can explain, please. If you..."

"No, stay away. I don't need your help," Anna stated, slashing with the knife, even though Elsa was nowhere near her for it to matter. "I'm going home. I don't need your...escort."

Elsa took a deep breath, but stayed where she was. "Anna...please, it's dangerous. You know this. You're safe with me."

"Stay. Away," Anna repeated, backing up. "I'll get home myself." She walked backwards for a few steps then turned and ran down a trail, just wanting to get away from Elsa.

Elsa stared after the human then muttered a phrase her mother would have been appalled to hear from her lips. "Shit buckets." Then she started after the woman, meaning to keep her word on getting her home.

Anna would never admit it...but she was lost. Again. It wasn't a common occurrence, but she could usually find her way around to where she needed to go with ease. This was completely unfamiliar territory. She froze when she heard a low rumbling growl and closed her eyes. "Damn it," she muttered under her breath.

What she'd seen back at the ambush had startled her. Hell it had more than that...it had shocked her and just...confused the hell out of her. She had known there was something dangerous about Elsa. It was just an air about the woman that screamed she was a bigger threat than most anything in the air.

Just like the growling, huge bear, stalking toward her.

She shook her head, knowing this was no time for wool-gathering. She grabbed a large, sturdy looking branch from the ground and stared off with the beast. Somewhere she remembered Kristoff telling her running was a bad idea. Then again, just being in the situation was probably a bad idea. With a capital B and a capital I.

The bear continued to advance and Anna instinctively took a step back each time, legs trembling, her palms sweaty on the branch. She wouldn't run. Not with every instinct saying she should. She would face every threat head on, which the irony of the thought didn't escape Anna given she wouldn't be here if she'd faced what she'd seen Elsa do head on.

All of a sudden, Anna found herself flung to the side, causing her to be flung to the side, landing awkwardly on her shoulder, grimacing as laid there stunned, watching the bear approach. She struggled to get back to her feet. She rubbed her face and then stood up, hunched over, looking up in time to catch a blonde blur stop in front of her, and hear a low hiss escape Elsa. Anna was surprised to see the woman there, but at the moment was really glad for it.

Elsa had lost sight of Anna for a moment. One brief moment...and this happened. Did the girl just attract trouble? Elsa snarled at the bear, letting all the supernatural aura she possessed come to the forefront. That aura that screamed she was a bigger predator than the bear before. When the bear, cowed for now, ambled away, Elsa stood there for a ten count then turned to help Anna up, glad she'd continued to follow her through the woods, she let her stay on her feet a brief moment before sweeping an arm under her legs and carrying her with ease to a spot she'd mentally marked as a good campsite.

"Tangling with a bear is usually not a good idea," Elsa said, finally. She heard a groan and smiled. At least she was still conscious. When Elsa reached the spot, she gently set Anna down then studied the cuts on her side, before carefully removing Anna's bag. It didn't take her long to bandage the human up, taking a deep breath as she did so, her healing body making it difficult to ignore the allure of her blood.

Elsa winced as she heard Anna whimper, very obviously trying not to, especially with the witch hazel that Elsa very generously put on the hands tied the bandages together then looked up when Anna spoke.

"Sorry about that."

Elsa studied Anna then shrugged. "It happens. It's mostly why I keep to myself," she admitted, setting up the makings for a fire, then grabbed the flint and steel when she was ready. Elsa careful with it, as she slowly fed it branches and whatever else until it was going well then she settled back away from it, not crowding Anna but keeping close to where she could study her. "I'm sure you have questions..."

Anna was quiet. She did have questions. She had a lot of them. Which one to start with was the big question for the curious woman. "Why didn't you attack the bear?" Anna finally asked, leaning back, grimacing as that pulled on her side.

"Why should I?" Elsa returned. "It was only doing as its nature dictated. I was able to prove I was the more dangerous threat and it moved on. Problem solved," Elsa continued.

Anna nodded slowly, certain that 'doing as its natured dictated' could apply to more than just the bear. "So...you're a vampire, I mean...unless you're a creepy odd cannibal but you're surprisingly nice for a cannibal...not that I've ever met one...I don't think." She fell silent. "So are there a lot of you?"

Elsa smiled which she hide behind a hand as she shifted so that she could rest her arm on knee. "A vampire, yes," she told Anna. "And as for how many of us, I...don't know. I..was turned not long before all hell broke loose." She had a theory of that but she still couldn't prove it. "I'm certain other supernatural types that exist in stories do exist in reality...I've just been...a loner for so long." She stared at the fire. "I don't blame you for running," she admitted. "It could be terrifying but I was hurt. That helped me heal." Her back was still hurt but she could handle that just fine.

Anna nodded and watched the fire as well. "I...was surprised...I just thought...well, I'm sure you got what I was thinking." She rubbed her face and then looked down at the bandages. She had a feeling moving was going to be a pain in the ass and Elsa would insist a day or so to make sure she was able to heal up. "Look, I am...going to rest...do you want to..."

"I'll stay up. Make sure nothing bothers you," Elsa said, nodding her head.

"I..um meant could you just sit closer? I...I'm not afraid of you. I'm sure if you wanted to feed from me you could have already."

Elsa studied the young human and then stood up moving closer before settling back on the ground. She was surprised by the young woman who shifted and snuggled close, using Elsa's shoulder as a pillow. Carefully Elsa brought her hand down to rest on Anna's hip.

Neither of the two women said anything as Anna drifted off to sleep. Elsa stared at Anna then kissed her forehead, relaxing, her senses alert for anything out of place as she rested as well.

Anna was right. Elsa had made sure they camped for a day, keeping an eye on the scratches on her side. And now they were approaching the settlement where Anna lived. She looked over at the taller woman and sighed. She'd said she'd stop on the edge of the settlement and they were at the point.

"Look, thank you for everything," Anna finally said, breaking the silence. "I'm certain I'd be dead, or wishing I was dead, at the very least." She then looked back down at the settlement. "I'm sure Kristoff is back so I should let him know I'm okay." She started to head down the trial that would lead her home and then paused. "I..."

"It was nice to meet you, Anna," Elsa said with a smile, pushing her hood back just enough. "I mean that. I'm glad I intervened that night."

Anna grinned, pleased to hear it. "So...will I see you again?" Anna asked, planning to head out past the settlement if that was the case.

Elsa laughed, her smile widening, blue eyes dancing with mirth before she raised her hand to wave good-bye. Afterwards, she pulled the hood back down and turned to walk away, pausing to look back at Anna, her lips curving to a playful smirk. "Oh, I'm sure of it. You'll probably need rescuing again, after all."


End file.
